The Ivory Coast is the largest cocoa producer in the world, and the Netherlands is the largest importer of these beans at 1.1 million tonnes per year. Agriterra opened an office in the former capital city of Abidjan in 2019.
Zoi Papalexandratou of ZOTO examines the different cocoa varieties.
Agriterra is currently working with four cocoa cooperatives in Ivory Coast. One of those is ECAKOOG, with over 3500 members. This well-structured cooperative, situated in the highest cocoa-producing area in the country, is UTZ and Fairtrade-certified, and produced 6400 tonnes of cocoa last year.
The cooperative has an ambitious goal: it wants to be an export cooperative by 2021, with a focus on Fairtrade-certified cocoa. ECAKOOG entered into various partnership agreements to achieve this goal, including with Agriterra, amongst others. The partnership agreement with Agriterra was signed at the start of 2019. The cocoa market in Ivory Coast is dominated by a small number of wholesale dealers and the price is regulated by the government. This makes it difficult for a cooperative to be distinctive. In collaboration with Agriterra, ECAKOOG wants to focus on the production of premium cocoa, so they are less dependent on bulk buyers and can establish direct links with chocolatiers in Europe.
Agriterra organised a workshop on ‘the fine market marketing and post-harvest practices of cocoa farmers’ for all its clients in Ivory Coast, including ECAKOOG. Zoi Papalexandratou of ZOTO, a Belgian family-run business that specialises in cocoa-related consultancy projects and excellent flavours, hosted the workshop, which was aimed at the market for premium cocoa (specialist cocoa with an intense flavour). With lower volumes and higher prices, this market offers opportunities for cooperatives. Before and after the workshop, various taste tests were conducted on cocoa samples according to a protocol developed by Papalexandratou. Initial results were positive and the samples were sent to ZOTO in Belgium for further analysis.
The cooperatives came to the conclusion that bulk export of Ivorian cocoa is important for the development of cooperatives, but that opportunities in the premium market should also be explored, particularly given the flavourful genetics of the cocoa beans from the producers’ plantations. The development of a strategic plan for entering this market with ECAKOOG and any other Agriterra clients could be an opportunity for Ivory Coast to position itself as an authentic premium cocoa supplier in future.